If you are a middle schooler in Chicago looking to learn computer science, you can pursue summer programs in the subject. These programs are designed to be rigorous and enhance your knowledge. They typically involve practical projects and activities that build your coding and problem-solving skills. Through interactions with industry experts, you learn about career pathways in computer science. 

You get the opportunity to collaborate with peers who become part of your network. To help you make the most of these opportunities, we have compiled a list of computer science programs in Chicago for you to participate in.

1. Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort

Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8

Students looking to pursue hands-on research in computer science can apply for Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in computer science. Over the course of the program, you learn how to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study, which enables you to build crucial skills. You can expect to develop your scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. You can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program, where you can publish your research in academic journals.

2. Elevate College Prep 

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL

Cost: Ranges from $500 – $4,500

Dates: Varies by program

Application Deadline: May 8

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

Elevate College Prep offers a range of programs in different subjects for middle schoolers. You can opt for RoboCamp to learn about computer science. You learn robotics and engineering through building sessions, coding activities, and team challenges. You learn programming basics and apply your creativity to practical projects. Beyond academics, you can make the most of campus activities in a collaborative environment.

3. Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Virtual

Cost: Varies; financial aid available

Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines

Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8

Students interested in computer science and technology can participate in Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. This interdisciplinary program teaches you the fundamentals of AI and machine learning. You delve into several topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. The theoretical component is followed by the practical component where you complete a project. This project must use technology to solve a real-world problem in computer science. In the past, students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.

4. Summer Adventures at Science & Arts Academy

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10 – 14

Location: Science and Arts Academy, Des Plaines, IL

Cost: Ranges from $625 – $1,200

Dates: June 15 – 26 (session 1), June 29 – July 10 (session 2), or July 13 – 24 (session 3)

Application Deadline: June 1

Eligibility: Students in grades 1 – 8

This summer program offers holistic learning opportunities for middle schoolers. There are several two-week programs to choose from. To learn about computer science, you can opt for the LEGO Robotics or Electronic Game Design tracks. In LEGO Robotics, you build and code your own robot to perform various tasks. You complete various challenges, such as programming the motion of the robot and using one or more sensors to guide the robot. In Electronic Game Design, you develop games by combining the innovative Makey Makey® device and programming with Scratch. You learn about how circuits work with computers, coding, and how to design and build a game.

5. Johns Hopkins CTY’s Creative Coding: Drawing with Python

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Virtual

Cost: $446 – $464

Dates: July 13 – 27 (Summer B)

Application Deadline: June 8 (Summer B)

Eligibility: Students in grades 5 and 6 who meet CTY-level quantitative scores

This program by Johns Hopkins’s CTY explores the intersection of art, math, and technology using the Python Turtle graphics library. If you want to bridge art and technology, this program may meet your requirements. You turn your creativity and art into code by designing geometric patterns, animated characters, and everything in between. You learn to analyze and debug Python scripts to troubleshoot issues and optimize code. You receive feedback from peers and instructors as you refine your projects.

6. Northwestern CTD’s Programming with Python and Java

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective

Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Cost: $3,025 (tuition) + $2,405 (residential fee)

Dates: June 28 – July 17

Application Deadline: One week before the start date

Eligibility: Students entering grades 6 – 8 who meet the Indigo-tier criteria

Northwestern’s CTD offers many programs in technology and engineering for ambitious middle schoolers. Most STEM careers require some knowledge of coding, so the Programming with Python and Java track is a solid option to learn the basics. You learn Python or JavaScript while creating interactive projects like games, animations, data visualizations, and simple AI programs. The course blends lectures and projects to enable holistic learning and development. For the capstone project, you design and develop a functional app, game, or tool that solves a real problem. 

7. Kode With Klossy

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Various locations, including Chicago, IL

Cost/Stipend: None

Dates: July 6 – 17 (Chicago, IL)

Application Deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Young women and gender-expansive teens aged 13 – 18

Kode with Klossy is a coding-intensive summer camp for middle schoolers looking to pursue computer science. The camp offers a range of tracks to choose from, including AI, web development, data science, and more. You learn different programming languages, how to use data visualization tools, algorithms, and so on depending on your chosen track. You also work on practical projects that solidify your learnings and help you build relevant skills. Thus, you enhance your knowledge of computer science and explore your passion for STEM alongside a community of like-minded peers.

8. Discover Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Middle School Daycamp

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 25% – 40%

Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Cost: $550

Dates: June 29 – July 2

Application Deadline: End of March

Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 9

This STEM program is designed to increase participation in and access to STEM education. Here, you attend classes and complete hands-on activities taught by Electrical and Computer Engineering faculty. The program covers topics such as electronic circuits, digital logic, probability, and biomedical imaging. You tour the campus facilities and attend social events. You work on a final group project under the mentorship of an undergraduate student. These projects are presented at the concluding session.

9. Berkeley Coding Academy’s Data Science - The AI Journey

Acceptance rate/cohort size: 6 per cohort

Location: Virtual

Cost: From $2,599

Dates: July 6 – 31

Application Deadline: Not specified

Eligibility: Students aged 11 – 18

This rigorous program by Berkeley is for students who want to learn about AI, data science, and coding. The course begins by teaching you programming with Python, which prepares you to understand big data. Over the duration of the program, you learn how to create data visualizations, build machine learning models, and apply AI in the real world. Lecture time introduces you to new theoretical topics and techniques while you maintain a coding notebook. You then work in small cohorts to complete practical projects during cohort time. You also conduct original research in these cohorts. You will have a portfolio of work and a certificate of completion by the end of the program.

10. Georgetown University’s Cybersecurity: Protecting Our Digital Future

Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified

Location: Online

Cost: $1,895; scholarships are available

Dates: Various sessions of different lengths are available

Application Deadline: Varies according to session

Eligibility: Students aged 13 and older

Students curious about cybersecurity and problem-solving can opt for this computer science program by Georgetown University. To learn about digital security, you understand how cyberspace evolved, how it opened the door for cyberattacks, and how the world of the dark web came to exist. You hear from FBI and CISA experts regarding the vulnerabilities that exist on the web, how they’re being exploited, and how cybersecurity experts analyze them. The program covers the applications and influence of AI in cybersecurity. The capstone project involves working on a simulated text or email thread or creating an infographic. 

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.